Daredevil: Born Again season 3 will be the final season of the Marvel TV show, and according to Marvel TV boss Brad Winderbaum that was always the plan. However, in a new interview, he did also make some interesting comments about TV show cancelations, making reference to Daredevil: Born Again.

Speaking about Wonder Man's axing earlier this year, presenter Brandon Davis suggested that the series could make a return down the line, akin to Daredevil's resurgence. However, Winderbaum had a pretty interesting response to that one.

"I felt like I was part of '#SaveDaredevil,'" he replied on The Brandon Davis Show. "You know it's interesting the internet, it's not what it used to be even a few years ago when you could stage a campaign and get something made like that. 'Save Daredevil' is great but we also need 'hashtag Watch Daredevil'. The biggest leverage I have, and I say this all the time, is the actual viewership numbers. That's what people are looking for, that's where I get my power to be able to make something or not. I just want people to watch the show."

This is in slight contradiction to the Marvel TV boss' comments on the ending of Daredevil: Born Again, which he told Davis was always planned as three seasons. "The plan was always to make a third season, to culminate it at three," he explained. "The way we were looking at it, the original series is three seasons, Born Again three seasons. They're kind of like trade paperbacks, collections you can slot into your shelves."

He also implied that this may not be the end of the line as they're going to "take a breath and see what's next for the character".

His comments come after Charlie Cox told us that he had a "good sense" that the show was going to be canceled again.

For more on all things Marvel, check out our guide to upcoming Marvel movies and shows.

Steven Ogg, the actor best known for playing Trevor in GTA 5, spent many years pretending the game didn't exist, but 13 years later, he's fully embracing his role in making it so special. For a few weeks now, Ogg has been participating in a series of GTA 5 livestreams hosted by his co-star, Michael actor Ned Luke, and in the latest episode, Ogg not only acknowledges GTA 6's existence – he expresses vague excitement for the sequel and even floats the idea of streaming it alongside Luke. Progress.

This is a huge flip from February 2025, when Ogg denied the common perception that he "hates" GTA but maintained that he wouldn't be playing GTA 6. It seems Ogg has had a change of heart, as he sounds much more enthusiastic about Rockstar's upcoming behemoth these days.

"We should also do this with the new one, when the GTA 6 comes out," Ogg tells Luke, immediately reminding everyone he doesn't play games by referring to it as the GTA 6. "Because, obviously, it's gonna be so fucking different, and talking about the animation, and... it'd be kind of fun."

Luke definitely agrees with Ogg's idea, telling him he plans to finish his playthrough of GTA 5 before GTA 6 comes out on November 19, clearing the way for a smooth transition into streaming the next game. In a fascinating exchange, Ogg asks Luke if he's "in touch with... them," seemingly referring to Rockstar, and Luke, seemingly caught off guard, pauses before saying "no," and laughing nervously as Ogg spins around in his chair mischievously. "You're like one of the guys at the Comic-Cons, man" Luke says. "Well, I can tell you but then I'd have to kill you."

Ogg then continues about his interest in GTA 6, saying he's "curious about the actors .. and the game itself, those characters, versus this, GTA 5, which obviously I learn more and more about over the 12 years."

Admittedly, it's unclear from Ogg's tone and general vagueness of speech whether he's genuinely excited for GTA 6 or if he's just shooting the shit with an old friend and colleague, but either way, this is a huge step forward from when he was seemingly ignoring the series' existence altogether.

GTA 6 took 13 years, but GTA 7 won't – Rockstar says "the tools and the team we've built during this project will allow us to do things more quickly" in the future

Wardogs players, your wishes have been answered: you're getting your precious loadouts, even if the developers really don't like what you're probably going to do with them.

In a detailed reply to a Reddit user imploring developer Bulkhead to add custom loadouts to Wardogs, the company's CEO, Joe Brammer, confirms that the feature is coming and explains why it's taking so long. The TLDR is that the developers specifically opted out of loadouts to force players to experiment with their kits, which impedes public testing. For that reason, Bulkhead is holding off on adding loadouts until they feel everything's been put through its paces.

"Internally, we deliberately never gave the team loadouts," says Brammer. "If we had, everyone would have gravitated to their favourite setup and only ever tested with that. Withholding them forced the team to play with everything, which meant far more of the game got properly tested. The same thinking applies to players right now."

An issue with Wardogs' rebuy feature, which lets you quickly buy the same gear you used before you died, also informed Bulkhead's thinking on loadouts. As Brammer explains, during pre-alpha testing, the rebuy button appeared as a pop-up, and players were quick to use the feature even if they were repeatedly getting their asses kicked. "We’d expected them to go hunting for better weapons, and they didn’t," says Brammer. "They kept getting beaten, and a lot of them put the game down quickly.

"So we removed rebuy for a few tests, and lo and behold, feedback from new players got much more positive. We could see their unlock paths working as intended and sentiment improved." The rebuy feature hasn't been removed, but it's now been moved to "a less prominent button in the bottom left."

As Brammer explains, all of this led Bulkhead to the decision to delay Wardogs loadouts so that everyone had time to experiment with their kits before deciding on a familiar loadout. Brammer says that when loadouts are introduced – and the timing on that hasn't been confirmed – "they'll be something you unlock with in game cash through the meta game, a way to spend what you've earned on a smoother experience.

"Buy as many as you like, or none at all," he says. "Right now it's really important to us that players keep trying different weapons rather than settling on one setup, just as we needed our own team to, because otherwise it would heavily skew the balance data we rely on."

As commenters are quick to point out, not having a loadout option doesn't stop players from simply setting up the builds they like manually and continuing not to experiment with different weapons, and that adding loadouts would only streamline that process, but Bulkhead is definitely making decisions based on data that isn't publicly available. Regardless, for now Wardogs players can at least look forward to the option to remove another obstacle in between rounds of pew-pewing.

Steam hits new all-time high of over 43 million concurrent users just 7 months after its last record as Wardogs and Deadlock surge in popularity

Shigeru Ohmori has been working on Pokemon games since the original Ruby and Sapphire in 2002, and has been directing the series since Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire over a decade later. Now, still at Game Freak, he's working on something all-new in the form of a magical girl RPG that relies on real-life weather.

Ohmori wants to build "forms of expression that can only be achieved in a completely original game," as he tells Famitsu (translated by Automaton). The result is Ame Nochi Hare Onna, a free-to-play mobile RPG. You build a team of magical girls who clean up the city by taking on trash in turn-based combat – the trash, in this case, being garbage-shaped yokai spirits.

The key gimmick is that your party's powers are determined by their outfits, and outfits get dirty over time. The game is built around short gameplay sessions, requiring you to wash your outfits to use them again. They dry in real time, and the drying time is affected by the real-life weather. Clothes will dry faster on sunny days than rainy ones.

The goal was to "thoroughly explore the concept of bishojo characters" and build a game that was "firmly rooted in real life, with a sense of everyday reality." With that in mind, Ohmori says that the real-time weather tracking and core gameplay loop meshed "most beautifully."

While it's easy to see Game Freak as purely the Pokemon Studio, it's made plenty of other games over the years – many of them quite offbeat and experimental. Ohmori himself worked on underrated gems like Drill Dozer, a 2006 rumble-powered GBA platformer, and HarmoKnight, a 2013 rhythm platformer released on the 3DS eShop. With those precedents in mind, Ame Nochi Hare Onna seems like much less of an outlier.

There's no word yet on whether Ame Nochi Hare Onna will be released outside of Japan. Given the success of the likes of Genshin Impact and Umamasume, though, I think it's clear that anime girls are a global draw.

In the lead up to Pokemon Winds and Waves, check out our guide to all the best Pokemon games.

Over the summer, a bubble of discourse centered around one developer – Mateo Covic of Paddle Paddle Paddle fame – and his frustrations with Steam's two-hour refund window saw countless players and developers interrogate Valve's policy. Lots of people, including Covic himself, said they remain "100% pro refund" despite some potential for exploits. In a delayed response to that whole incident, two developers have made and released Refund This Game, a first-person platformer designed to put Steam's refund policy to the test.

"Fling yourself up to the top in this 'Getting Over It'-like 3D platformer!" reads the game's Steam description. "Stick your pole to walls, bend it and fling yourself with great speed! One mistake means falling all the way down. Can you reach the summit in under 2 hours and EARN that refund?!"

The point of the game is on full display. There's even a Steam achievement for beating it under two hours, an on-screen timer ticking down all the while. "Feel free to refund the game after, if you still can," the devs insist. "It wouldn’t be a real challenge without stakes!"

Getting Over It remains one of the gold-standard ragebait platformers – the timeless tale of a man in a pot using a sledgehammer to slowly chip away at his sanity while Bennett Foddy taunts him from the great beyond. Refund This Game really does look like a 3D, first-person take on it: "physics-based stick-flinging" sends you up, up, and up a lofi dreamscape, and you get exactly one checkpoint. Welcome to rage games, here's your stick to bite down on. And for just $5, or $4 on sale in this case, why not? Why shouldn't I lose my mind?

Co-developer dofhouse, who worked alongside Cactile Games, says "a huge inspiration for this game was the discourse surrounding Steam's refund policy this summer." They tip their hat to indie game curator Indie Game Joe, whose Twitter thread about Steam refunds also reached Covic.

"We celebrate players' right to refund games, and we wanted to create something that invites players to give it a shot, no strings attached," dofhouse adds.

The early response to Refund This Game has been pretty positive, and based on some of its Steam reviews, a few players have actually managed to beat it in time to get their money back. Pour one out for Steam user Sklett, whose exactly two-hour review says it all: ":("

Steam hits new all-time high of over 43 million concurrent users just 7 months after its last record as Wardogs and Deadlock surge in popularity

Arc Raiders is finally trying out a PvE-only mode, and it's gone exactly as you'd expect. After the limited-time release of a PvE toggle, fierce opinions have hit the game's community faster than Bastion bullets to my temple after I misclick my photoelectric cloak, and the test has only just begun. Executive producer Aleksander Grøndal tells me that, inside developer Embark Studios, similar debates about a PvE mode raged, but the team decided the "dad gamers" deserve a fair shot.

At the risk of splitting the game in two, Embark chose to finally bite the bullet after realizing that players had practically done the legwork for them.

"We kind of got to the point where it's like, these friendly servers, they are almost playing out like they don't have PvP in them at all, and people seem to be enjoying that," Grøndal observes. "We could see that group of people was consistently growing a little bit over the history of the game."

Grøndal tips his hat to "a group of, let's call them dad gamers for lack of a better word" who are the imagined casual gamer made manifest. They have "a couple of hours to play every now and then and just want to go out and complete some objectives. Every time they feel like they get defeated by someone extraction camping or someone else with higher gear, it's just frustration for them. And they express this pretty vocally. 'I love the game, I just want to play the game, but I really don't like dealing with other players in that way.' OK, we hear you. If you like the game that you are playing, and if we just remove the pain the other players are giving you, that's a fairly simple thing we can try to implement."

You can see how simply this PvE toggle was done. Almost immediately, players started to poke holes in this trial implementation of PvE Arc Raiders, griefing loot and bullying Arc who were unprepared to face raiders who have nothing else to shoot at. If Embark does decide to make PvE mode a permanent option in the future, it would want some finer tuning. And after plenty of debate inside the studio, with many developers echoing concerns around tension and the loot economy and difficulty, Grøndal reckons those decisions are better off informed by live data.

"But at the same time, we didn't want to commit to this fully before we fully understand what their actual needs are, hence the test," he says. "I thought it was important that, let's not just open the door and implement this solution. It might not be the answer to the question, and rather than just sitting and asking ourselves forever or designing an overly complicated feature to test it out, we went, OK, what is the obvious answer staring back at us? The matchmaking toggle test.

"That's how it came to be, and we're really excited to see the reception, what players think about that, as I'm sure we'll take tons of learnings and then see how we can take those learnings into further developing what this could be – without making any promises, of course. I think that's important to mention."

Arc Raiders Frozen Trail patch notes are full of sentences that players have dreamed of for a year: "You can now open the map while downed."

Fallout co-creator Timothy Cain has released another fairly depressing video about the state of RPG game development today compared to his heyday in the late '90s to early '00s. According to Cain, RPG developers aren't bothering as much with hidden and optional content because the people with the money aren't as willing to shell out for stuff that most people won't see. Broadly speaking, Cain even argues the industry is trending away from non-linear game design altogether.

"Things are really going to linear storylines, with one end state," he says. "There are still some non-linear games being made, but more and more I see linearity with one end state. And I think this is done because they're trying to not only minimize that expensive-to-make unseen content, but they're trying to make a lot more common moments so that when people talk about the game, they've all gone through these same stages."

I'm not qualified to question Cain's insights, but this is a curious bit of commentary as I've personally struggled with open-world fatigue in recent years, but I can reconcile that by drawing a distinction between the kind of uninspired, checklist-style quest design that I'm bored with, and the embrace of signposting, which seems to be more what Cain is referencing.

Cain says "unguided exploration" is going the way of the dodo. "You used to just wander around, especially the world map, and you stumbled across places, and you stumbled across items and combat encounters. Now, everything kind of has a quest marker or a map indicator or visual or sound cues that draw your attention, 'oh, there's something really good right there.'

"It's almost as if nobody thinks people will find things on their own, which means anything that you do find, you can kind of tell it's intended for you to find, and everyone else playing the game to find."

It's unclear which corporate overlord Cain is referring to here, as he's worked for a number of big budget studios going back to OG Fallout developer Interplay in the '90s, but he says he's been told "'don't hide these things and let players rejoice over their discovery', but how much of a rejoice can you have over something that has a giant neon sign over it, pointing down going 'here's a cool new item'?"

Even optional dialogue branches are under scrutiny these days, according to Cain. That sort of thing, coupled with hidden content and quests you have to dig deep to find, are the bread and butter of beloved modern RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3, but if Cain is to be believed, we may be seeing RPGs embrace a more deliberate, single-path narrative in the future.

"I've been told to stop spending so much time and money writing dialogue and making VO for player conversations and NPC responses that only a small fraction of players will ever see," says Cain.

Whether or not the industry is turning its back to non-linear games, there's no denying developers are under increasing pressure to tighten budgets and appeal to as large a market as possible, so I'm not surprised to hear people like Cain are being told to cut hidden and optional features in games. Still, I doubt beloved developers like Larian, FromSoftware, and CD Projekt Red are ditching the sort of hidden content their most diehard fans keep coming back for any time soon.

Baldur's Gate 3 actor says her role as an iconic goblin is the reason Atlus cast her in hit JRPG Metaphor: ReFantazio

The second episode of VisionQuest introduces viewers to a Vision unlike one we've seen before in the MCU. Gone is the measured, logical synthezoid we know so well, as White Vision meets the Paladin in the Edinburgh pub where he'd been working undercover.

Trying to manipulate him to turn himself in to save his supposed son, Tommy Shepherd, Vision warns him that he is not the Avenger he assumes he is. "I'm not The Vision," he ominously tells him in a rare show of power and violence.

After more than 10 years of playing the character, Vision star Paul Bettany says this fresh take was a lot of "fun" to get stuck into. "When we find Vision, he has had his memories restored, but he seems unable or perhaps unwilling to attach any feelings to them, and I think that's a really human thing to do," Bettany tells GamesRadar+.

"It was fun to think of him getting frustrated because I don't think we've ever seen that. I think we've seen Vision be quite measured and contained, and to see him get angry in yes, ruthless ways, but also later on in sort of funny, frustrated ways with potentially his son in a situation that we will all recognize, like a father teaching their son to drive or whatever, just being really frustrated with them. It was really fun to play or have all of these new experiences for Vision and different facets of him."

The scene in the pub in episode two is a moment that stood out to showrunner Terry Matalas, who says he thought it would be "really surprising" to show this new side of Vision to audiences.

"That moment when he says, 'Let's try something new' in that dark way, I really got excited," he adds. "As an audience member, I think I would be thrilled to see him be a bit more ruthless."

VisionQuest continues weekly on Disney Plus, and based on the final moments of episode 2, we're in for some fun shenanigans with Vision, Ultron and Tommy in the coming episodes.

Check out our VisionQuest release schedule to make sure you don't miss a moment, as well as our VisionQuest review for our verdict.

Jason and Lucia are going to work up a sweat in Grand Theft Auto 6 – literally. Among the many detailed systems Rockstar built for the game is one that sees realistic sweat gather on characters' bodies depending on how much effort they're exerting in physical activities. No wonder GTA 6 has taken so long to make.

Earlier today, Bloomberg's Jason Schreier published an extended report on GTA 6's development, confirming that it was once meant to feature a more extensive open world spread across North and South America. While the scale of the project was eventually reined in, it's still a game being built at a level of detail rarely seen even in the biggest AAA games. That's partly why there have been so many delays – to the chagrin of Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick. The sweat system is one such example.

"They told me that they have a specific system in the game that will make it so Lucia, Jason, or whoever will exert different amounts of sweat depending on how much effort they're putting in," Schreier says in a YouTube video published alongside the report. "If they're dancing extra hard in the nightclub, they will sweat more than if they are not, which I think shows you the level of detail they're putting into this game."

Video game sweat was once a regular indicator of technological development. With each new console generation, another NBA 2K game would arrive with athletes dripping ever more realistically. Game characters sweating? Now that's the future. That's next-gen.

I'm not sure sweat alone is going to be a selling point for GTA 6, but the sum of all those detailed gameplay and world systems – the weight gain mechanic, the weather, even that robustly detailed iguana – is intended to give us one of the most immersive and believable open-world sandboxes ever created. That's a high bar for any dev to meet, but Rockstar seems comfortable enough with that level of expectation.

Rockstar still won't reveal the cost of GTA 6 development, but it's definitely not the previously rumored $1.5 billion.

Xbox just announced its first new controller in what feels like forever, but the pocket-friendly Xbox Nano Controller isn't coming for any pro gamepad's lunch. Instead, this compact set of clackers seems like the latest step in Xbox's quest to own every screen you look at.

The portable model sees the Xbox Wireless Controller squished into a horizontal form factor, with two thumbsticks and a giant floating d-pad taking up the majority of its tiny little face. At $49.99 / £44.99 (pre-orders now open at Microsoft) this little fella doesn't want to be one of the best Xbox Series X controllers on the market, but it does want to be the one you've got in your pocket. And sometimes, that counts for a lot more.

The Xbox Nano Controller essentially takes everything that makes up the full-fat Wireless gamepad and bunches it all up into the middle of the chassis, removing the grips almost entirely. That means it can achieve a form factor of "just over 5-inches in length and just 3.5 ounces." Those are specs Microsoft is pitching not just towards on-the-go players but kids in particular.

Is the Xbox Nano Controller going to be right for you (or your little ones)? If you value that easy wireless connection to the Xbox you have at home and want the luxury of those pedigree Xbox controls, it could be. If you want the best value for everyday play while out and about? It's unlikely.

See, the Nano launches at a bit of a renaissance for these compact gamepads. With the rise of the best gaming handhelds and mobile ports growing in popularity, Microsoft isn't the only brand looking to park its buttons in your pocket.

CRKD, for example, just launched the Atom Plus, a super tiny wireless controller that only costs $29.99 (it's even on sale for $24.99 at Amazon right now). One look at that d-pad and symmetrical thumbsticks should tell you this isn't exactly up to the same caliber as the Xbox Wireless Controller, but when the numbers are pretty much halved it's well worth considering.

8BitDo has its range of SN30 devices that do a similar job as well as its Lite 2 gamepad offering the same buttons for $34.99 (Amazon).

This game of spot the difference isn't exactly set at hard mode. Budget-friendly alternatives aren't offering the full Xbox Wireless Controller experience here, and (from press images) it looks like Microsoft's model packs a little more junk in the trunk - especially around those little grip nubbins at the bottom. So, while prices might be higher, the ultimate experience of using Microsoft's compact controller might be just a little less painful than usual.

Microsoft clearly has plans for it. The brand is joining forces with Samsung to introduce a new bundle offer with its TVs later this year, and it's also got plans to bring the Xbox Nano Controller to Meta Quest bundles over the course of the holiday season as well.

• See all compact controllers at Amazon

We're also rounding up all the best PS5 controllers and best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers available this holiday season.

VisionQuest star Paul Bettany says he once left the entire script for Avengers: Infinity War on a plane, which is an offense punishable by Marvel jail.

"I've never told anybody this, but I once left the entire script for Avengers: Infinity War on a plane," Bettany admitted to Virgin Radio UK. "And I got in my car and I went, 'Oh no... oh no!' I was lucky to have had a greeter that was a genius, and I got the greeter to go in and get it, and I tipped that greeter like 500 bucks."

Bettany's co-star Emily Hampshire, who plays E.D.I.T.H. on the new Disney Plus show, joked that she didn't know she was entering "witness protection" when entering the MCU. Hampshire says it's common to throw out your script pages or sides after you've finished filming that scene, but Marvel will apparently send someone to your house to collect those pages. I'd argue that it's one thing to toss the sides for a Disney Plus TV show, and another to leave the entire script for an Avengers movie on a plane where someone could easily grab it... Bettany is lucky he had a good greeter.

Marvel takes its leaks and spoilers pretty seriously, which is why Tom 'Loose Lips' Holland went on a full vacation with Joe Russo and wasn't told anything about Avengers: Secret Wars during the trip.

VisionQuest is out now, with the first two episodes in tow. Check out our VisionQuest release schedule to make sure you don't miss a moment.

There's always value in being an originator, even if what comes after proves more prolific. Doug Cockle is the original English-speaking voice of Geralt of Rivia, stepping into the role for the first The Witcher, and he's revealed that Henry Cavill, who brought the character into live-action on Netflix, actually invited him to the premiere, though it took some proof for him to humor the reach out.

Cockle spoke about the encounter during an interview with Ginx TV. "[Henry] gave me credit for a great performance, and said that my vocal performance as Geralt was influential in his decisions about his own performance," he recalls, before providing a humorous anecdote about the pair meeting properly.

"Henry reached out, three or four weeks before the London premiere of the Netflix, and said, 'Hey Doug, it's Henry here, you want to come to the premiere?'" Cockle remembers. "I didn't believe it was him at first; I kind of told him off, because I get a lot of weird DMs, and I thought this was probably some weirdo, and he sent me a picture!"

Generally, such precautions are good. There are a lot - a lot - of scammers on social media, and one of the most prevalent forms of trying to get in touch is by pretending to be someone famous or influential whom you already follow or potentially interact with.

Stories about people losing quite a lot of money to these crooks are heartbreakingly common. Thankfully, Cavill seems to have understood what was going on, and provided proof. Cockle went to the event, and the two talked a little about the grumpy protagonist and the franchise as a whole.

"We had a lovely chat, I hung out with him and his entourage for the evening," he says. "By entourage, I mean his family." Cavill has since abdicated the role, and Liam Hemsworth's taken over. Cockle is still going strong with Geralt, returning for the Songs of the Past DLC and The Witcher 4. If Hemsworth ever decides to slide into those DMs, he better have a selfie ready.

The Witcher 4 dev is "still predominantly using people" over AI in development, says CEO, but "everybody has to make those judgments on their own"

GTA 6 has suffered its fair share of leaks now, with 25 minutes of new gameplay having gone live last week – and it hasn't been easy for Rockstar Games, to say the least.

Artist Aaron Garbut tells Bloomberg as much during a recent interview, describing leaks as a line crossed – a look into something personal, and unprepared for the public. "It feels like somebody's wading through your dirty washing," he says. "It's like they're inside your head."

That makes sense, honestly… and that first major GTA 6 leak in 2022 was when this awful feeling really started to hit the developers.

"You see your early work out there," Garbut describes. "Nobody's ever supposed to see that. It's really weirdly invasive. And so it's quite hard to deal with on an emotional level."

I can only imagine myself – and it certainly doesn't help that the leaks haven't slowed down at all, really, despite Rockstar taking legal action against folks responsible for them in the past. The cryptocurrency-fueled GTA 6 leak (leaks, more like) from "Cyberleek" comes to mind.

That whole debacle was supposedly spurred by demands for digital rights, more physical copies, and such, with claims to be "raising funds for a secret project" (via crypto, of course) – but it's now apparently dead after the leaker behind it saw their meme coin crash and fall some $20 million short of their market cap goal.

They set the goal as a precursor to leaking the entirety of GTA 6, supposedly… even though the full game is, uh, out next month.

So, will we see any more GTA 6 leaks come to light? I'd wager we won't, considering the November 19 release date and all, but who knows – Rockstar's cookin' up one heck of a massive game, and there's bound to be quite a lot that we've not seen out of it yet.
I'm not sure it would count as "dirty washing" at this point, either, seeing as it's so, so close to launch. I'd say it likely qualifies as clean and then some.

GTA 6 took 13 years, but GTA 7 won't – Rockstar says "the tools and the team we've built during this project will allow us to do things more quickly" in the future

Metro 2039 pre-orders are live and already flying off the shelves. You're in luck if you're simply securing a Standard Edition, but that bumper pack Collector's Edition is mostly out of stock today.

I say mostly because, depending on where you are you might get lucky here. Very in the UK, for example, still has these merch bundles up for grabs. Things are still moving fast here, though, so if you spot stock live it's worth jumping on sooner rather than later.

Metro 2039 pre-orders also have a middle child, a $109.99 / £94.99 Deluxe Edition packing an extra story DLC, digital and physical (hardback) art books, a digital soundtrack, and an exclusive steelbook. Even this one is running low in stock across the pond, but thankfully the US still has plenty of PS5 and Xbox availability.

The next instalment lands on February 4, 2027 and you'll find all the latest Metro 2039 pre-orders just below.

Pre-order Metro 2039 in the US

Pre-order Metro 2039 in the UK

Metro 2039 Collector's Edition pre-orders

We're also sorting out your GTA 6 pre-orders and finding the best Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time pre-orders on the shelves as well.

By all appearances, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch 2 seems to be a one-to-one remake of the original N64 classic, faithful down to the details of every dungeon puzzle. But there are at least a few all-new features in here beyond the quality of life tweaks, including a special hall where you can marvel at defeated enemies and battle bosses all over again.

"Somewhere in this world lies the Hall of Fallen Foes," the game's new overview trailer explains. "Statues of defeated monsters reside here. You can learn about them or engage in rematches with powerful foes."

You can walk up to statues and hit a button to take a close-up look, with a bit of flavor text describing the monster and a list of main locations where it appears. With bosses, you can hit a "rematch" button to take on the creature again. A timer will tick up during the battle, and your time will be recorded when you complete the rematch, so you'll have a convenient way to track speedruns against individual bosses.

The hall itself seems to take inspiration from the Nintendo Gallery that appeared in The Wind Waker, where you could take photos of characters and enemies from throughout the game and have them turned into a series of collectable figurines. As a Zelda lore-obsessed 13-year-old at the time of Wind Waker's original release, I loved the opportunity to catalog the game's inhabitants, and I'm glad the Ocarina of Time remake will offer something similar.

After two hours of hands-on time with the Ocarina of Time remake, Andy says it feels like a homecoming and a true Zelda celebration. Personally, I remain a bit skeptical that a straight remake can live up to the stature of what the original game meant back in 1998, but I'll happily accept a few surprises to make this familiar journey a little fresher in 2026.

These are the best Zelda games of all time.

Epic Games has retooled the Epic Games Store to feel less like molasses in an igloo, and the company says it's now "46% faster than Steam" thanks to the power of partially AI-generated code.

"We vibe coded the Epic Games Launcher to be faster than the other guy," Epic says in a recent Twitter post. Attached is a graph claiming that the EGS launcher now has a "cold start to store" time of 5.47 seconds, which is about 4.6 seconds faster than the 10.07 seconds recorded for Steam.

The time it takes to "restore from system tray to library," meanwhile, is allegedly a whole 0.06 seconds faster than Steam. The Epic Games Store really did feel cumbersome to use, but when you're visualizing a 0.06 second gain, I fear you've lost the plot a bit.

This overhaul will seemingly make good on promises Epic made at the start of the year, and this news follows the company's "huge pivot" into "maximum AI acceleration" across its business. This, itself, comes on the heels of an Unreal Engine 6 reveal that showed off a whole load of gen AI tools.

CEO Tim Sweeney insists "the aim isn't to do the same stuff with fewer people, but to enable everyone here to build MORE and BETTER stuff, and to bring the benefits to all teams using Unreal." Sweeney oversaw more than 1,000 layoffs at Epic earlier this year and blamed "downturn in Fortnite engagement."

The updated page for the Epic Games Store preview boasts of "a cleaner framework" and "faster startup and switching" across the board. Long-requested features like a "recent games" list will now be "easily available" in the launcher, Epic promises; a download hub centralizes games and downloads with live speeds, and figures like playtime and install date are displayed in the "activity feed."

Additionally, the EGS library now supports detailed and grid views, visualized search, collection groups, and is purportedly "30x faster."

"Is this bad boy faster? Yes," Epic adds. "Will it have some bugs? Yes. Do we want to hear about them? Hell yes."

Months ago, Epic enlisted the help of Blizzard's Battle.net lead to help get the Epic Games Store on track.

"My goal on PC isn't to topple Steam": Epic Games Store boss says beating Valve isn't the plan – just getting "enough market share on PC that you have to be here no matter what."

Besides masterminding games like the Metal Gear Solid series and Death Stranding, Hideo Kojima has long been a fervent movie fan. He recently sat down with noted filmmaker Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu, whose film Digger is currently in cinemas, to discuss similarities between that picture and his games over the years.

The conversation was put together by Gizmodo Japan, and during the chat, per machine translation from two different sources, they first touched on their shared preoccupation with using the present to warn about what could be our future. In the former, Tom Cruise plays an oil tycoon who causes considerable environmental damage, and Kojima believes it's made in the same spirit as the second Metal Gear Solid.

Iñárritu notes that he believes they share the same mindset and stresses the importance of cultivating understanding and awareness through artistic means. Kojima then brings up Sons of Liberty and how it deals with social media and technology becoming a negative force in our lives that we can't escape.

He points out that generative AI has only made Metal Gear Solid 2's ideas more potent, and that there's a certain morbidity shared between that release and Digger. They don't really offer a solution, but rather fall back on the notion that we need to learn to cope with it day to day.

The conversation then moves on to people discussing Digger without having seen it, and to the way discourse moves without any proper context. Our collective perceptions are fragmenting due to social media and AI falsehoods, and people are forming hard opinions on things they aren't fully engaging with, something that he finds pretty scary.

Kojima immediately compares that to how Death Stranding was labeled as a walking simulator soon after it came out, by people who hadn't played it, based on footage available. It's a label that's lingered since, and with algorithms creating echo chambers on people's feeds, these beliefs can be easily reinforced without people trying.

Digger isn't doing very well at the box office, but I've a feeling history will be kind to it. Meanwhile, we're awaiting details on OD and Physint, Kojima's upcoming games, to see what other ways he decides to poke at the human condition. In the meantime, it might be time to replay Metal Gear Solid 2.

Hideo Kojima teases future cameos in a "big live-action movie" and a "major anime title"

Rockstar Games still won't reveal just how much GTA 6 has cost to develop, but one person involved has shot down the idea that the game has a $1.5 billion budget.

Given the 13-year wait for GTA 6, it's probably safe to assume that Rockstar and Take-Two have spent a lot of money on the project. The game has been worked on in one way or another since at least the mid 2010s, with Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson confirming the studio was working on a version of the game dubbed "Project Americas" – which would've seen the story take place across both North and South America – back in 2015 before the studio shifted focus to work on Red Dead Redemption 2.

Rockstar and Take-Two have kept quiet on just how much the game has and will cost to develop, but a popular guess came from analyst Michael Pachter, who estimated that development costs would exceed $1.5 billion last year, which has since become a popular assumption online.

Speaking to Bloomberg's Jason Schrier, Rockstar Games' head of publishing, Jennifer Kolbe, was asked about the game's budget. While no concrete answer was given, Schrier notes that she shot down the rumor that the game would surpass $1.5 billion. Granted, that doesn't mean the game's budget won't be one of the largest in gaming history – I'd be surprised if it wasn't – but until the actual number is shared, we won't know for sure.

That being said, GTA 6 is likely going to be a massive release, with everyone expecting it to be one of the biggest game launches of all time – if not the biggest – after 13 years of feverish hype. Given that co-studio head Aaron Garbut said the game doesn't compromise on detail or scale, I'd wager that Rockstar is confident it'll recoup whatever it spent on GTA 6 pretty quickly.

Rockstar vowed GTA 6 wouldn't be finished "by crunching" after Red Dead Redemption 2's tough development, says publishing lead: "I think we did things differently, and I'm proud of that"

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Nintendo's upgraded take for Switch on its beloved 2014 Wii U game, just got another new update – sorry, Mario Kart World stans.

The update boosts Mario Kart 8 Deluxe up to version 4.0.1, bringing with it a good few fixes that fans of the 2017 banger have been eagerly awaiting.

As per Nintendo's official patch notes, these start with developers addressing the "issue where the number of obstacles or Item Boxes would increase during Online Play and Wireless Play" on the Switch 2 compared to the original Switch console. No more bombarding Switch 2 players, eh?

Next up are a couple of fixes for online play and visuals, like the Star Bits not displaying properly on the Wii Rainbow Road course on Switch 2.

Most importantly, perhaps, is how Nintendo targets crashes in version 4.0.1 of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, though, ridding it of "an issue where the game would close unexpectedly when certain conditions were fulfilled."

In other words, yep, crashes – a no-no, especially during competitive races.

Although small, the patch is pretty solid, all things considered. Folks over on Reddit seem to agree, too, with one dubbing the notes "W fixes" from Nintendo.

Others, however, question what this means for Mario Kart World, seeing as Mario Kart 8 just saw another update last month while the newer game seemingly sits in the dust. As one player jests, "Mario Kart World is dead again" – a sentiment I've seen make rounds online more than once now.

I wouldn't dub it "dead" myself, though… as nice as it'd be to see Nintendo give Mario Kart World some love. This new update is still a great sign for the series overall.

And, if you're as excited for the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe patch as I am, it's a simple download: select the game on your home menu, press + or - on your JoyCon, and go into "Software Update" – et voilà, version 4.0.1 is upon you, as are all of its shiny fixes.

Shigeru Miyamoto apparently has a love-hate relationship with Toad, who he would constantly pick in Mario Kart despite being his least favorite

GTA 6 leaker Cyberleek has once again called it quits after their meme coin not only failed to meet the $30 million market cap goal meant to trigger the release of a purportedly playable build of the game, but flamed out entirely.

In a series of posts to their website later shared online, Cyberleek insists that the coin crash wasn't their fault. Rather, somebody else dumped their coin stock, "everyone else sold, and CL was blamed for the crowd's dump."

"The token was always a donation, never an investment," the meme coin merchant argues. "No returns promised, none implied. Rugpull talk comes from people who never opened the chain. Mostly YouTubers. Do not trust them. They have no idea what they are talking about."

Instead, you should trust the anonymous architect of a double-crash crypto grift explicitly designed to profit off of stolen property by siphoning transaction fees.

With profits dry, Cyberleek's coincidentally decided not to release details or footage of GTA 6's ending either. "It was considered," they say. "It would punish [GTA 6 publisher] Take-Two greatly – but ruin the experience for the gamers, who did nothing wrong."

"Take-Two was punished enough," the leaker decides. So, "the ending stays unpublished." To prove that they actually have all of this material, Cyberleek points to the latest batch of leaked footage, which allegedly came "from the final missions, out of context, revealing nothing."

Seemingly looking to fend off investigations into their identity or actions against their accounts, Cyberleek claims to have a "dead man's switch" ready to unleash "story spoilers" – which, to me, seems like a paper tiger so thin you could see your hand through it.

"The 30M was not reached, so no build," the leaker says with a harumph. "Sad, the negativity – and how few believe anything real is behind this," they add, again blaming "influencers" for tarnishing the reputation of their scam. "The leeks stop here. For now," they conclude.

GTA 6 now has a wealth of proper footage out in the wild, Rockstar is actively discussing the game's development with the press, and the game is finally out next month. Between the nose-wrinkling crypto grift and general leak fatigue, everyone seems tired of this whole song and dance. To quote one reply to a thread sharing Cyberleek's messages: "I'm so tired of this cornball bro."

GTA 6 took 13 years, but GTA 7 won't – Rockstar says "the tools and the team we've built during this project will allow us to do things more quickly" in the future.

When a brand like Razer launches a new "edition" of its existing tech, I always prefer the design to go big or go home. Transforming my favorite goth-bunny girl's head into a pair of Kuromi Edition Razer Hammerhead V3 X HyperSpeed earbuds is definitely a go-big moment.

The $119.99 earphones don't just re-color the charging case pastel purple and slap on some existing Sanrio artwork and call it a day. Instead, the entirety of the existing gaming earbuds case has been swapped out with Kuromi's head, which even goes as far as to include her hood-covered ears and a 3-dimensional version of her cute skull-bow motif. This all comes at a $20 extra cost to the plain buds, but if I'm paying more for a "Kuromi Edition" anything, I'd much sooner prefer brands go the extra mile like Razer has with this new model.

Look, I'm not a fan of the inflated cost of gaming tech that's the result of a collaboration with a tech brand like Razer and an existing IP or brand. I get why it exists, as the licence fee needs to be recouped somewhere, but at a time when the RAM storage crisis is making everything related to this hobby more expensive, it sucks that representing your fandom through accessories comes at an inflated price.

If that price does exist, I at least expect the theming to go all out, and thankfully that appears to be the case with these new earbuds. Not only are there sculpts of Kuromi's ears, but the widow's peak of her hood plays host to the case's LED indicator, and the bottom of her head can be hooked up to a USB-C cable for charging.

The buds inside aren't plain either, and share the same pastel purple coloring while including a pattern of skulls down their side. The only thing that'd make it sweeter would be if Razer featured more skulls instead of its traditional snake logos on each earphone, but I can make do without it when there's plenty of Kurmomi-ness left to admire.

On the inside, they're the same Hammerhead V3 X HyperSpeed buds as always. Equipped with 7.1.4 surround sound, touch controls, they're designed with "gaming and everyday listening" in mind. They're also multi-platform friendly and could be an alternative to your go-to gaming headset, as they have 2.4Ghz wireless and Bluetooth 5.2 support too.

If you do prefer your subtleties when it comes to Razer accessories however, you can always check out the Pikachu and Eevee Collection instead. The set doesn't include a pair of earbuds, but does opt for a "less is more" sentiment by draping its Pokemon Edition tech in a dusty pink coloring and cute art with no 3D ears to be found. I prefer a bit more over-the-top whimsy for my licensed tech, but each to their own.

View all Razer Kuromi Edition accessories at Amazon

Prefer a pair of cups instead? Check out the best PC headsets for gaming, the best PS5 headsets, and the best Nintendo Switch headsets we've tested so far.

A PvE playtest is currently happening in Arc Raiders, and some first impressions aren't strong for the mode. A contingent of players isn't happy with how the dynamic feels compared to the standard experience, even expressing regret that they wished this had been added in the first place.

Embark Studios kicked off a week-long public beta for PVE in Arc Raiders just yesterday, October 13. The idea is that player-on-player damage is removed, forcing everyone to tackle the Arc in front of them and get their loot instead of trying to grief each other,

In theory, it should be a fine addition for the shooter, coming up on its first anniversary, but results have been varied. "I've been playing carebear games for weeks now and I thought PvE would be great," writes a Redditor. "Well, I was wrong. Games feel like a shop simulator, nobody talks, nobody interacts, just go in, loot, bye."

They add they'd vote against player-versus-enemy if such a ballot appeared, and the paranoia from the standard modes now seems fundamental. "I think we need that carebear interaction where people choose to hold their guns, you still have some fear of being shot etc," they add. "Personally I really disliked PvE toggle, game feels bland, soulless."

While players can't shoot you, they can still shove you, as another player pointed out in a frustrating clip on Reddit where they keep getting pushed around while trying to go back to Speranza. "PvE is insufferable," they say. "People bull rush you off ledges, bull rush you to prevent you from looting and then bull rush you to prevent you from extracting."

A commenter points out, the bull rushing can be mitigated through patches. Other players are having more fun. One said they're "having a blast," sharing that they found Arc encounter rate to be similar to regular play, but there appears to be less loot. The responses are mixed between agreeing to being critical, to a more subdued reaction, simply saying it's kind of boring.

That last part is where streamer and video maker Loochy stands. He found PvE "got kind of boring after a few rounds" because of lowered tension. "The reality is Arc Raiders doesn’t have a strong enough endgame to support a meaningful PvE experience," he says on Twitter. "It just feels hollow."

If this debate has you curious, you have until October 20 to give this playtest a go.

As Arc Raiders sees Steam player count surge to 185,000 for the first time in 7 months, Embark dev knows it "won't last forever"

VisionQuest introduces the human avatars of several of Tony Stark's A.I.s who occupy Vision's interior world with him. Among them is E.D.I.T.H., or Even Dead I'm The Hero, who was first introduced in Spider-Man: Far From Home through a pair of Stark-created glasses.

VisionQuest builds out her story a lot more as she's played in human form by Schitt's Creek star Emily Hampshire as a chaotic, fun, weapons expert. Speaking to GamesRadar+, Hampshire says she really wanted to acknowledge her character's history in the MCU when bringing her to life.

"I watched all the movies from the beginning, and Spider-Man: Far From Home, that's her birth story," she explains. "So I definitely, to find the E.D.I.T.H. we meet in VisionQuest, I started with the E.D.I.T.H. who is in Spider-Man: Far From Home."

Hampshire continues: "Tony's legacy is in there, and he named her E.D.I.T.H. for Even Dead, I'm The Hero, so that really informed that there's something in her that wants to be the hero, but also has that sense of play that Tony has, and yet her idea of fun is blowing things up, and so that is what has created who we meet in VisionQuest."

In Far From Home, the character is voiced by Dawn Michelle King, but this is the first time we see her in human form. Translating that character in this way was an interesting challenge for the actor, who explains she thought a lot about how she would have grown in the period between MCU projects.

"Her boss was a teenager, and she was controlling weapons and blowing things up, and so I'm like, 'Well, what would she want when she is let out of these glasses?'" Hampshire says. "And from where she's coming from, to me, she wants to experience life and have fun, and her idea of fun is blowing things up."

She adds: "To me, E.D.I.T.H. in Spider-Man is E.D.I.T.H. at work in her corporate job that she can't have any fun in, and E.D.I.T.H. in VisionQuest, it is the weekend."

Have a read of our VisionQuest review for our full verdict, as well as keeping an eye on our VisionQuest release schedule as new episodes drop weekly on Disney Plus.

Avatar: Seven Havens is only three episodes into season one, but in a remarkable display of confidence, it was confirmed during the show's recent New York Comic Con panel that the Last Airbender sequel series will return for seasons three and four.

This, however, wasn't news to Seven Havens co-creator Michael DiMartino, or writer and co-executive producer Sehaj Sethi, who revealed during a conversation with GamesRadar+ that, like The Last Airbender before it, the Seven Havens team have been working towards telling a multi-season story with Seven Havens from the beginning.

"We've been working on books three and four for a bit, so yeah, we're glad they were able to announce it," DiMartino tells GR+. While world-launching show The Last Airbender was always designed to run for three-seasons, infamously, The Legend of Korra was supposed to be a one-and-done series before ultimately running for four seasons, causing numerous problems as DiMartino and co-creator Bryan Konietzko built Korra's legend on the fly.

"This one was designed more with a clear end, kind of the way we did with Avatar[: The Last Airbender], where we had pitched the whole story out," DiMartino says. "Then when we did Korra, we only thought we were going to do one season, so we designed it a little differently, so if that's all there was, it was a good little one-season story, but then we had the opportunity to do more. When we came back to do the movie [Avatar: Aang] and these shows, we went back to what we're naturally drawn to, which is this big epic story [told] over multiple seasons. So that's our goal."

Sethi echoes DiMartino, adding that while they were prepared to adjust based on how many seasons Seven Havens was ultimately renewed for, they've always had a clear "endpoint" in mind.

"This is a thing [DiMartino and Konietzko] have always done, and I really agree with, is finding your story, finding your endpoint, and always working towards that," Sethi says. "So whether or not they gave us the seasons, we knew where we were going, and we weren't going to adjust that depending on whether or not they gave us one, two, or four seasons.

"So we have known for a little bit that we have a book three and four, and we're in production on that. It's been really lovely that we actually get to tell you a story that was something that from the get go we knew we wanted to say."

Avatar: Seven Havens' 13-episode first book is currently airing on Paramount Plus. It's not currently known when book 2 will air, but DiMartino says it could arrive sooner than you think. "You will not have to wait that long," DiMartino says. "I don't know how these things are going to roll out exactly. The downside to animation is it takes a really long time. The upside is that we started working on this about three, four years ago. So there's a lot of episodes that have been completed so far."

Avatar: Seven Havens airs new episodes every Friday on Paramount Plus. For more, check out our Avatar: Seven Havens review and our guide to the new TV shows heading your way.

VisionQuest may be the conclusion to the WandaVision trilogy, but this is not Wanda Maximoff's story. Instead, it's Vision, specifically White Vision, who takes the limelight, and according to showrunner Terry Matalas, it was always planned that way.

"She died in that big movie," he tells GamesRadar+ when asked how Wanda's absence impacted the story, referencing her death in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. "It's Vision's moment now. WandaVision gave almost just a blank canvas with that White Vision into asking himself, 'Who am I without her? Who am I with these memories?' And so, it was just a perfect launching point for something new."

However, despite her physical absence, Wanda does remain a huge part of VisionQuest's story. The first few episodes, now out on Disney Plus, feature Vision constantly revisiting WandaVision and memories of her. There is even an Easter egg which shows that Wanda is literally part of Vision's code.

Bettany says it was strange at first to not be acting with Elizabeth Olsen, as she's been part of Vision's entire story up until now. "Yes, but then largely it is you know about the absence of her and his inability to connect to that loss," he explains. "So I feel like she is a ghost, you know, that he is chasing, haunted by."

This only deepens for Vision as he meets Tommy Shepherd in episode 2, who has memories of Wanda and Vision as his mother and father. Meanwhile, the father and son dynamics don't stop there with Vision's own creator Ultron constantly reminding him of his origins too. Read our VisionQuest review for our verdict on the latest MCU show.

The eight-part series is airing weekly on Disney Plus, but it has quite an unusual release strategy. Check out our VisionQuest release schedule to make sure you don't miss a moment.

The CRKD Atom+ has gone through some upgrades to merit its new 'plus' namesake, and its new size is exactly what I had hoped for when I first learned of the improved version of the retro-inspired gamepad.

Don't get me wrong, it's still teeny tiny and should never be used as a day-to-day Switch 2 Pro controller substitute, unless you want some Mario Kart World with a side order of wrist cramp. However, the £29.99 (via Amazon) growth spurt has made it big enough to stand out amongst my messy game room, while remaining the ideal compact shape to take up little to no space in my Switch 2 bag. Nights ruining my friendships with hours of Dokapon Kingdom have never been better.

Whenever I pop over to my friend's house to witness the full depravity of their evilness through hours of Dokapon Kingdom, I have a fear. Not the fear of them constantly starting battles with me in the game (though that does happen often), but the fear of damaging any controller I bring with me for the Switch gaming times ahead.

The Atom+ has circumnavigated that. Despite being larger than the OG Atom, it still demands far less case space than any other of my Switch 2 controllers, which makes it less prone to damage. My go-to Pro-style controllers, like that of the Turtle Beach Rematch, are fantastic, but piling one in alongside my dock, steering wheels, and anything else can be a bit of a struggle. Even if I do manage to use my Tetris know-how and maneuver it within my all-in-one case, I'm still constantly worried that its thumbsticks will end up breaking into pieces.

The Atom+ is about the length of the palm of my hand, and takes up little to no space at all, so any worries of its newly added sticks rubbing up against other accessories are slim to none. In fact, it's so perfectly compact that I'm already considering picking up a full set of the four colors available. I could easily pack each into my PlayTrek 2-in-1 case and still have some room left over, something that wouldn't have been possible had I stuck with one Pro controller alternative.

It's not a perfect alternative to my Turtle Beach Rematch, as it's still small enough that comfort can be an issue, and nothing will ever outmatch the joy of having backpedals. However, any controller that manages to quell my anxiety of broken and damaged tech gets a big thumbs-up in my book.

• View all CRKD gaming accessories at Amazon

On the hunt for a new controller? Check out our guides to the best PC controllers for gaming, the best PS5 controllers, and the best Xbox Series X controllers.

Tributes are pouring in for Duke Nukem and Sin level designer Richard 'Levelord' Gray, who passed away on October 12, 2026, aged 68.

Gray got his start making modded levels for Doom, making his official game development debut as a designer for fellow FPS Duke Nukem 3D, before going on to design levels for the likes of Quake, Half-Life: Opposing Force, and Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, as well as being a primary designer on Sin. His talent for level design had him dubbed 'Levelord,' with him being known to leave easter eggs hidden in maps, such as the "You're not supposed to be here – Levelord" message found in a number of his maps for players keen to explore.

Apogee founder Scott Miller recalls, "Richard was a stellar talent who joined the game industry in his 40's when Apogee hired him to join the Duke 3D team," calling him "a relentless hard worker, a fun teammate, and an overall great human." Longtime 3D Realms community manager Joe Siegler says he "was like the friend to everyone" and that "I had a great fortune to work with him directly for a couple of years."

3D Realms co-founder George Broussard adds, "Richard was a unique character. He didn't like a lot of feedback and meddling in his levels and he had a strong vision for them. This often caused some friction on the team but the results spoke for themselves." He adds, "Richard was always happy and smiling around the office and well liked by everyone."

Doom co-creator John Romero also pays tribute to Gray, saying "He was full of life, a gentle soul, and an excellent level designer. He was called 'Levelord' for a reason." Romero praises episodes two and three of Duke Nukem 3D, saying they "had such distinctive designs."

PC Gamer reports that Gears of War creator Cliff Bleszinski paid tribute to Gray on his private Twitter account, saying, "RIP Richard 'Levelord' Gray. You broke the mold, fella. Guy paved the way for so many level/environment designers."

Meanwhile, Slipgate Ironworks founder Frederik Schreiber calls him "without a doubt, one of the kindest people I've ever met in the games industry. Incredibly humble, remarkably intelligent, endlessly creative, and always a pleasure to be around," adding that despite his influential career, "he never carried himself as anything other than a genuinely good human being."

An unofficial store with over 1,600 free game downloads for jailbroken PS5s was taken down this week, but – please, pretend to be shocked – it's already been reinstated by someone else, with Pandora's box well and truly open.

The store, known as Overdrive, went viral a few days ago – it arrived following a new PS5 jailbreak, which, as reported by Tom's Hardware, was compatible with all consoles except those that'd been very recently updated.

Obviously, Sony was never going to be happy about users being able to access hundreds of PS4 and PS5 games without spending a penny, so when Overdrive abruptly disappeared from GitHub shortly after its release, there was an assumption that the PlayStation owner had taken legal action to strike it down, but those claims remain unsubstantiated. Some have claimed that the creator of Overdrive actually just decided to quit of their own accord, but – you guessed it – there's no evidence to back that up, either.

One thing is for sure, though, regardless of how or why Overdrive was killed (visiting the original page results in a 404 error), it's already risen from the dead. While we're not going to link to it here for obvious reasons, one user on GitHub has allegedly rebuilt the app using a decompilation of the previous build, and now it apparently boasts 1,800 games to boot, adding more salt to the wound for Sony.

This development is hardly surprising. In 2024, Nintendo took legal action against Switch emulator Yuzu, but it took barely 12 hours for replacements to start appearing online. A couple of months later, the company hit a whopping 8,535 clones with a DMCA takedown. You can understand why folks compare this sort of thing to cutting off a Hydra's head and seeing two more sprout in its place.

Even if it wasn't Sony behind the initial removal of Overdrive's GitHub page, I can't imagine that the company isn't aware of the situation and preparing to take action against further clones. Separately, the recent jailbreak has also seen a new development that lets users play Steam games on their PS5. The GitHub page is seemingly still active for that one – between that and the Overdrive store, it looks like Sony is going to have a serious game of whack-a-mole on its hands.

PS5 emulator updates have 6 games "fully playable at 60 FPS," and Demon's Souls isn't far behind.

Pre-orders for Magic: The Gathering's latest expansion have emerged like a sorcerer from a sling ring portal, and to be frank, MTG Darkhold Destiny is the first time I've felt excited about a Marvel set.

Following its surprise announcement at New York Comic Con 2026, the supernatural range (which promises to explore darker corners of the Marvel universe) is now up for grabs at Amazon ahead of its 2027 release. I've been looking through the set's array of goodies – from four Commander decks to bundles – and am surprised to find myself tempted by the crossover. This caught me off guard; while the previous Spider-Man and Marvel Super Heroes expansions looked cool enough, I never felt as though they 'fit' the world of Magic. MTG Darkhold Destiny, though, is another matter. With its emphasis on alternate dimensions, spells, and all things spooky, it blends in with other sets so much better.

Magic expansions normally have a strong sense of worldbuilding and internal logic (you're summoning warriors or casting spells, primarily in a fantasy setting), so some crossovers seem out of place as a result. But this one being so rooted in sorcery and the supernatural make it a natural fit. I appreciate that many won't care about this, and just want cards that let them command their favorite Marvel characters. But for me, seeing someone like Iron Man, Captain Kirk, or Optimus Prime facing down a goblin horde pulls me out of the moment. Doctor Strange or the Scarlet Witch, though? It works.

Plus, one really important factor makes me so much more invested: an original story. The previous Marvel sets were a celebration of beloved characters, but it felt superficial somehow; this was a rogue's gallery of heroes, villains, and locations. MTG Darkhold Destiny, on the other hand, is the first time we're getting a bespoke Magic plot that's crafted specifically for the set. It even introduces an original character to the mix. That makes it feel so much more considered.

If that's piqued your interest too, here's everything on the way for MTG Darkhold Destiny.

Looking for more cool projects heading our way in 2027? One Ring RPG designers promise "many adventures ahead" after Lord of the Rings campaign approaches $3 million in pledges. As for another roleplaying game, I wasn't excited about D&D Star Wars at first, but it looking so much like Rogue One changed that.

• See all MTG Darkhold Destiny pre-orders at Amazon

Avatar: Seven Havens is a show loaded with mysteries: how can there be twin Avatars? Did Korra really cause the cataclysm that destroyed the world? And why was there no Avatar in the two centuries between The Legend of Korra and Seven Havens?

The latter question has led to a popular theory that maybe, secretly, there were other Avatars during this 200-year period. But speaking to GamesRadar+, Avatar co-creator Michael Dante DiMartino confirms that the line of Avatar succession leads directly from Korra to Pavi and Nisha.

"Korra was the previous Avatar," DiMartino confirmed "There wasn't a secret Avatar in between. I feel okay debunking that theory."

This only raises more questions. A new Avatar is born the moment the previous Avatar dies, so either Korra was over 200 years old when she died (not out of the question, as Kyoshi lived to be 230 years old by extending her life) or Korra was stuck in some kind of stasis – Spirit World-related or otherwise – that kept the Avatar from being reincarnated for two centuries. And does it somehow connect to the emergence of the first-ever twin Avatars?

Of course, these are all questions that DiMartino and co-creator Bryan Konietzko want viewers to be asking as they watch Seven Havens. "When Brian and I set out to create the show and expand the universe, we're always just trying to find a different angle into the stories, things we hadn't done before," DiMartino says. "Twin Avatars was a big one we hadn't done before, and combine that with the idea that we wanted to do a mystery show, and how could there be two avatars? That's a cool mystery. Along the way, through the series, we'll be unpacking a lot of those mysteries and revealing stuff. But right now, it's hopefully a cool hook that gets people interested in the show and makes them want to find out why there are two avatars."

The first three episodes of Avatar: Seven Havens certainly have fans talking. But not everyone was thrilled; Korra voice actor Janet Varney admitted she "sobbed" after seeing Korra villainized in Seven Havens. While there's almost certainly more to the story, the citizens of Ellora blame Korra for the cataclysm that destroyed their world, and still celebrate her death. They'll have plenty of time to resolve this, and the show's many other mysteries, as Avatar: Seven Havens was renewed for seasons 3 and 4 at New York Comic Con.

Avatar: Seven Havens airs new episodes every Friday on Paramount Plus. For more, check out our Avatar: Seven Havens review and our guide to the new TV shows heading your way.

After Red Dead Redemption 2's crunchy development, Rockstar decided "'we're not doing it again like this'" for GTA 6, the studio's head of publishing says, and she's "proud" that the studio changed things for its latest title.

In an interview with Bloomberg, head of publishing Jennifer Kolbe says that the development of Red Dead Redemption 2 was "a real moment for Rockstar to look at itself," even before the company began receiving backlash over reports of crunch for the staffers bringing the 2018 action adventure to life.

"We all looked at each other and said, 'We're not doing it again like this,'" Kolbe says, explaining that she and other fellow leads at Rockstar promised at the time that GTA 6 would be handled differently.

"I said, 'We're not going to finish this game by crunching,'" she continues. This involved Rockstar introducing new policies that would offer paid time off to make up for extra hours they'd worked, and sometimes offer workers more pay. Kolbe admits, "It's not been perfect," but even so, "It's certainly better than Red Dead 2 was."

She knows that if she were to declare that Rockstar hasn't crunched on GTA 6, "someone is going to say, 'I did,'" and that's not something she wants to "get into arguments" over. However, she concludes: "I think we did things differently, and I'm proud of that."

While Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick also previously indicated that GTA 6 was delayed to avoid crunch, that didn't stop some employees from alleging back in July that crunch is so common at the studio that it's "built into" contracts, and that they have to "opt out" of it. But, if Kolbe is to be believed, this is at least a better setup than the devs had for Red Dead Redemption 2.

GTA 6 was delayed for years after Rockstar scaled back "Project Americas," which would have been set across North and South America.

The Palworld universe is expanding quite a bit in the coming months. Developer and publisher Pocketpair has got a dating sim, a farming sim, and an MMO on the slate, and while you might think elements of these would make more sense as expansions of the main game, the team isn't keen on simply replicating Fortnite's metaverse-type model.

"I can certainly understand why some people might expect us to take Palworld in that direction," John 'Bucky' Buckley, the head of publishing and communications at Pocketpair, tells MP1st. "But for us, we just want to make fun games in our own way. I know it sounds a bit cliché, but while we obviously want our games to be successful, maximizing revenue as quickly as possible isn’t what drives our creative decisions."

Indeed, given the fervent community around Palworld, there's been plenty of opportunity to turn the game into a money-making machine through crossovers and microtransactions and whatever. But the biggest purchase remains simply buying the monster-collecting experience, and it's a model that's working for all involved thus far.

In keeping separate ideas just that and making them their own games, it allows Pocketpair to explore the mechanics involved and create disparate projects that may be more attractive to other players. "When it comes to Palworld, we feel that some ideas would be better served as standalone games, where we can fully design the gameplay systems, pacing, and overall experience around that specific concept," Buckley adds.

"Palfarm is a good example. Rather than trying to fit that experience into Palworld as just one mode, we believe making it a standalone title gives it more room to develop its own identity and become something special in its own right," he continues. "We don’t see this as one approach being better than the other. Different games and IPs will naturally benefit from different strategies."

The resistance to homogeneity is refreshing, and it's likely to be a real strength in years to come. It allows Palworld to exist in multiple different forms, so if one starts to wane for whatever reason, others are there to help hoist the overall property. The Fortnite model of having everything in the same platform places a lot of emphasis on one audience, a plan that could leave you high and dry one day.

On Twitter, just to double-down on his responses here, Buckley reiterated that Pocketpair is completely independent. "I understand that the astronomical success of Palworld has blurred the public’s perception of what Pocketpair actually is, but we are, in fact, still 100% self-owned and more importantly, 100% self-funded," he states.

"So our entire decision-making process is still simply, 'but is it fun?'," he finishes. Well, it's clearly working.

Palworld's cursed dating sim is a "little goofy thing" and not a proper spin-off, Pocketpair lead says: "I would only consider Palfarm the true spin-off"

A recompilation PC port of the Nintendo Switch remake of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening has emerged online, made "with almost exclusive use of AI."

PC ports of classic games through the act of decompilation and recompilation have been one of the best things to happen to PC gaming in the 2020s while everything else falls apart around it. Thanks to AI slop causing ballooning prices, a sheer amount of shovelware flooding steam, and just generally being all over the place, some have taken to classic games to avoid it. But unfortunately, the tech has infested the recompilation scene, with a ton of vibe-coded projects appearing online, like Banjo Tooie, Mario Kart Wii, and Donkey Kong 64 (which has a good version in the works too, as the devs reject vibe coding).

Even the non-vibe-coded projects are using it, with Crash Team Racing: Turbocharged – something that should be the most exciting release of the year – unfortunately using LLMs to write code, pushing it into a gray area for those who are not supporting any AI use.

In a Reddit post announcing the port, the developer Peiikai explains they've made a static recompilation port of the Nintendo Switch version of Link’s Awakening "admittedly with almost exclusive use of AI." They acknowledge that "AI usage is controversial," but add "something like this is way beyond my skill set and wouldn’t have been possible without AI," and that they are "guiding it as responsibly" as they can.

They continue, "If you disagree with the use of AI, I understand your position and likely agree with many of the points you could bring up," but this project was made for them to have "the ultimate way of enjoying the game myself," and say they are sharing it as "a courtesy."

As we get closer to modern releases – with Link's Awakening being available to purchase on modern consoles – it also feels inevitable that some publisher is going to take notice sooner than later. Nintendo has been quite steadfast in targeting Nintendo Switch emulators, and while this port requires your own dump of the game, all it takes is a person (or AI) to make a mistake for the Nintendo lawyers to come calling.

Thankfully, for those of you who want to experience Link's Awakening on PC without the AI, Link's Awakening DX HD, released almost three years ago, is an excellent version of the game's expanded Game Boy Color port – Link's Awakening DX – and is still getting updates to make it better years later.

Nintendo wins legal battle against Mig Switch cards in the Netherlands, says the decision will benefit "many video game developers globally"

The two GTA 6 delays might have been frustrating for you, but they were definitely worse for Strauss Zelnick, CEO of the game's publisher, Take-Two Interactive, who reportedly asked the unfortunate Rockstar dev who told him about them if they were "kidding."

Speaking to Bloomberg, Rockstar's head of publishing, Jennifer Kolbe, said she had to call up Zelnick twice - once when GTA 6 was delayed out of Fall 2025 to a May 2026 date, and then again to say that it needed a second delay, this time from May to November. The second time, Zelnick struggled to take the news.

"I think he said, 'You're kidding. Please tell me you're kidding'," Kolbe says of her second call with Zelnick. Thankfully, the Take-Two CEO was pretty understanding in the end: "Once we talked through why, he got it. And I think we are really lucky that he is as reasonable as he is, because a lot of people would say 'you just better figure out how to ship it'. And we have been really, really lucky that we have not found ourselves in that place, because that happens to a lot of teams, and we've all played those games. It's not great."

We've definitely seen the results of games that are pushed too early - Cyberpunk 2077 springs immediately to mind, in spite of its redemption arc, but many others have launched too soon and never gathered the momentum they needed to thrive. Granted, in this case, Zelnick is in the enviable position of having the biggest launch of the decade waiting in the wings, meaning the extra year of investment in GTA 6 will probably amount to little more than a rounding error in its eventual bottom line.

GTA 6 took 13 years, but GTA 7 won't – Rockstar says "the tools and the team we've built during this project will allow us to do things more quickly" in the future.

Several DC Studios projects have fallen by the wayside – but not Swamp Thing.

James Mangold's horror project has largely been on the backburner since it was first unveiled back in 2023.

Speaking to Deadline at the Clayface premiere, DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran has confirmed that work is still ongoing on the film.

"We're working on it, absolutely," Safran said. "The script is being written as we speak. But it's something we're excited about. All these things take time – when you've already got a filmmaker involved, you've got to wait for their window [of availability] as well."

Prior to this, Mangold described his take on Swamp Thing as a "simple, clean Gothic horror about this man/monster."

Mangold told MovieWeb, "[I'm] just doing my own thing with this, just a standalone. I’m not that interested in being handcuffed by so much lore at this point that it's almost immovable and you can't please anybody."

While Swamp Thing isn't one of DC's A-list characters, the creature – a swamp monster aiming to protect the environment – is one of comics' more popular supernatural beings. Swamp Thing's popularity rose in the 1980s thanks to an acclaimed run by Alan Moore and a 2019 live-action show was short-lived but well-received. Throughout most of its history, however, the character has largely existed on the periphery of DC fandom.

Swamp Thing won't be the only horror presence in the DCU. Early Clayface reactions are praising the grisly take on the origin story of the iconic Batman villain.

For more, we have a look at what's ahead as part of DCU Chapter One.

Even though Pamela Voorhees is the original villain in the Friday the 13th franchise, she is often forgotten. The mix-up is so ingrained in horror culture that in Wes Craven's Scream, Ghostface asks his first victim who the original Camp Crystal Lake killer is, to which she says Jason. Throughout time, Jason Voorhees has become a horror icon, while his mother faded into the background. That's why Crystal Lake creator Brad Caleb Kane wanted the new prequel series to focus on Pam.

"Well, we only see her for just a really short time at the end of the first movie. She talks about basically what's the foundation for the entire series, which is her relationship with Jason and how close they were," said Kane to GamesRadar+. "And then she gets her head lopped off, and that's all we see of her… It felt like there was more to explore there about that relationship with Jason. We hear about it very briefly."

The original 1980 Friday the 13th takes place years after a young boy died at Camp Crystal Lake. But when the site reopens, a mystery killer starts to pick off the camp counselors one by one. At the end, Pamela Voorhees is revealed as the murderer, who was seeking revenge for her son, who drowned due to lack of attention from camp staff. Pamela confesses her crimes to final girl Alice, before Alice cuts off her head.

Pamela's confession scene only lasts around 2 minutes. But it was that moment that inspired the new show. "It forms the basis for the whole series," reveals Kane. "But we never understand it dramatically. So it felt like a series could help us see all of the different facets of Pamela Voorhees and how this whole series kicked off."

Crystal Lake is set years before the first movie, starring Linda Cardellini as a young Pam raising her young, sickly son in a small town. But when Jason drowns in an accident at the camp, it sets off a disturbing chain of events that forces Pamela to confront her dark past and puts her on a path to becoming the killer we see in the movie.

When taking on the horror icon, Cardellini says she "looked at the past performances," but didn't want to copy Betsy Palmer's original portrayal of Pam. "It can be daunting because you're taking on something that people love. But at the same time, there's so much life for her to have," said the star. "Her performance is so amazing. It's so wild and captivating that I didn't want to try to mimic her." But Cardellini made sure to include "little nods and echoes of her" wherever she could to "honor the original."

Crystal Lake premieres on Peacock in the US on October 15, and on Sky and NOW in the UK on October 19. For more, check out our Crystal Lake review, and keep up with new TV shows on the way.

Rockstar North co-studio head and GTA 6 lead developer Rob Nelson explains that the open-world game has taken so long to come out, in part, due to a scrapped version dubbed "Project Americas."

I don't know if anyone really noticed, but Rockstar Games has taken quite a while to follow up GTA 5 and release GTA 6. While we've had the massive Red Dead Redemption 2 in the meantime, the 13-year wait for GTA 6 has made fans quite feverish to play the next game in Rockstar's iconic crime series. Many assumed Rockstar was working on a rotation of GTA and Red Dead games, as GTA 6 was only confirmed to be in development in 2022. However, the first plans for GTA 6 began not too long after the last entry was released.

Speaking to Bloomberg, Nelson confirmed that in 2015 a number of Rockstar staffers flew to Miami on their first research trip for GTA 6. At that time, the game was code-named "Project Americas," with the aim of featuring parts of North and South America on its map. Rather than every studio working on one title, the plan was for Rockstar North to develop GTA 6 concurrently with Rockstar San Diego's development of Red Dead Redemption 2.

However, as the scale of Red Dead Redemption 2 grew, Nelson realized the game required Rockstar's involvement at large, meaning that GTA 6 had to be pushed back for several years to get its western epic across the finish line. However, this meant that when GTA 6 finally did release, things the team built would "pay off when we get to the game."

Nelson confirmed that while Rockstar typically works on multiple games across its many studios, the bulk of the company's staff across the 11 Rockstar studios are now working on one project at a time.

GTA 6 is coming to PC in just a few months according to new report, with Rockstar moving much faster than it did with GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2

Although GTA 6 has taken a whopping 13 years to come to fruition following Grand Theft Auto 5, Rockstar promises that shouldn't be the case with GTA 7 or any other future projects, as it's got everything it needs to get 'em out more quickly.

Phil Hooker, technical director at Rockstar, tells Bloomberg as much during a new interview, explaining that the foundation developers have built while creating GTA 6 – an entry that's arriving over a decade after predecessor GTA 5 launched back in 2013 – will help them work more efficiently on any future projects, like Grand Theft Auto 7.

They've got a solid team, engine, and "tools" to use, after all, as Hooker says.

"The engine, the tools and the team we've built during this project will allow us to do things more quickly," he describes. "I feel confident that we can build on top of this and go more sideways than upwards to build more compelling content."

Artist Aaron Garbut agrees, chiming in, "We foundationally changed a lot of stuff on this project – but now it's done, and we're not going to rip it apart." And, honestly, why would they?

There's no telling what "things" Rockstar will do "more quickly," whether that's GTA 7 or a smaller spin-off like Vice City, which was created in under a year after GTA 3 itself, but it's good news regardless.

The wait between Grand Theft Auto games has been a gruelling one, to say the least, marred by widespread layoffs and delays, so hearing that we might not have to witness another like it comes as a welcome report.

Here's hoping this all rings true and GTA 7 – or whatever Rockstar has up its sleeve after GTA 6 – arrives in under a decade, or perhaps even five years… but I might be jumping the gun, considering how huge the new Grand Theft Auto seems.

GTA 6 is coming to PC in just a few months according to new report, with Rockstar moving much faster than it did with GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2

VisionQuest has finally landed on Disney Plus, and the first two episodes bring back James Spader's fearsome Ultron – only now, he has a human guise, and he lives inside of Vision's head (along with the rest of the MCU AIs).

Despite his new roommates, though, Ultron is still his villainous self, and MCU fans are loving seeing him again. The following contains spoilers for episode 1 and 2.

In the second episode of the series, Paladin the bounty hunter takes Vision's son, Tommy Shepherd, hostage. Ultron returns to the Ship of Theseus paradox from WandaVision to urge Vision to take action and save his son.

"Did we just catch Ultron giving genuinely solid advice?!" says one fan on Reddit. "This show has been great so far but Ultron I think is the highlight. Really interesting to see how he has actually tried to learn from humanity during his imprisonment and I love all of his interactions with Vision, absolutely fantastic dialogue. I feel like it's practically a given that there's going to be a betrayal from Ultron down the road and I'm surprised by how much I actually wish it wouldn't come, by how much I hope Ultron could just be this mentor figure he's presenting himself as. In any case I hope he persists past this show, I think he's just too great of a villain to permanently cast aside."

"I could watch just eight straight hours of Vision and Ultron talking and I would love this show. We're going to get so many great quotes from this series, I can tell," agrees another fan.

"That Ship of Theseus revisit was perfect. Expanding on it to include the context and theme was so good," says another person. "Ultron is biding his time, I'm thinking his gambit is to eventually take over the body. He's certainly been studying humanity but I doubt that's a good thing."

"Really reminded me Ultron IS supposed to be a good guy. His actions are evil and the end result of him is being a big bad, but it all stems from the same 'save the Earth' mentality. Spader killing it as usual helps with the delivery too," says someone else.

"Spader is soooo good! love all the back and forth between him and Bettany!" is another fan's thoughts.

VisionQuest continues weekly on Disney Plus. For more, check out our spoiler-free VisionQuest review, or keep up to date with our VisionQuest release schedule.

Although World of Warcraft: Forever is still only available to play via its Beta – a Beta which won't see any player progress carry over to Blizzard's full release, mind you – it's not enough to deter folks from purchasing in-game gold with real money.

You know, real money trading. If you've played any MMO at all, whether that be retail World of Warcraft or something like Final Fantasy 14, you know it's a problem. And even though it doesn't really make sense financially, the WoW: Forever Beta offers no exception.

A little while ago, Blizzard took $200 in gold from a streamer after suspicions of real-money trading. Shortly after, an add-on targeting gold purchases made rounds.

In other words, it's an ongoing issue, "Beta" be damned – and the community has looked to Blizzard for a harsher crackdown against it… Something the developers are evidently aware of.

A new update from the studio proves as much, with Blizzard outlining measures it's currently implementing to counter real-money trading before it really takes off in-game, as part of its "latest weapon" against illicit gold purchases.

"If your account is suspected of being involved in RMT, either the selling or receiving of illicit gains, you may find your account subject to a Temporary Economy Hold," the post reads. "You will have restricted use of trade, mail, guild banks and the Auction House while this economic hold is in place."

It sounds just like the tough crackdown the doctor ordered, honestly – and Blizzard doesn't seem to be playing around.

"Our aim with this new system is to aggressively shut down the flow of suspicious gold before it has been transferred or put into circulation into the economy, while providing us the time needed to investigate more thoroughly," the dev explains. "If you are just playing the game normally, it is unlikely you will ever see this restriction applied to your account."

And, if you do see it, things will progress in one of two ways.

"If this restriction is applied to your account, it will be either automatically removed when the actions that triggered it have been investigated and found false, or you will receive account actions if found to have been involved in RMT," as Blizzard says… but it might not be 100% clean at first.

"This system is new. There may be false positives while things are fine-tuned," the studio admits – but you don't need to worry too much.

That's because "merely having a Temporary Economy Hold will leave no permanent strikes against your account unless also later proven to be RMT motivated."

It's not such a bad deal, in my opinion – but I'd also never engage in real money trading, especially during a beta, so my take makes sense, I suppose. I'm just happy to see Blizzard taking further action against those who are, even if it'll include wrinkles that need ironing out.

Blizzard is "committed to ensure that WoW: Forever is not marred by the Real Money Trade" – and that's not all, either. "All of these systems will also be deployed to all versions of World of Warcraft if proven successful" – Forever, retail, Classic, you name it.

As Blizzard launches yet another version of World of Warcraft, lead says "our hope is to grow the audience, not to fracture it"

The DCU's next movie, Clayface, has premiered, and the supervillain body horror is already being called "shockingly gruesome" in early reactions. Good news for all the Clay-heads out there, then: James Gunn has revealed this won't be the last we see of Matt Hagen in the DCU.

Speaking to Cinemex on the Clayface red carpet, Gunn confirmed that the gloopy, shapeshifting bad guy will return in a future DCU project. "I think one of the most fun things about creating the DCU is being able to tell stories that are very, very different from one another, in very different genres, and yet they all come together at certain points," Gunn said. "And yeah, this isn't the last we'll see of Clayface. And I can't wait for you guys to see what we do with him."

Of course, we've seen Hagen before in the DCU: he appears in the first season of the animated series Creature Commandos (and, yes, James Gunn has previously confirmed that the characters are one and the same). It's possible Gunn could simply be referring to the fact that Hagen will almost certainly pop up in Creature Commandos season 2, but given the character is best known for being part of Batman's rogues' gallery, Clayface appearing in The Brave and the Bold, or a future Batman-starring DCU movie feels like a distinct possibility.

The Batman buzz is certainly building around the DCU. In a separate interview, Clayface star Tom Rhys Harries may have let slip that Batman is in Gotham during the events of the DCU movie. Clayface director James Watkins has also said that Batman's presence will be felt "inherently" in Clayface, telling SFX magazine: "You're in a city called Gotham. So I guess you feel the shadow of the Bat inherently. Because of the nature of where you are."

Clayface releases in theaters October 23. For more, check out our guides to all the upcoming DC movies and shows and our breakdown of how to watch the DC movies in order.

Last we checked, Wanda was definitely dead in the MCU. Having an entire mountain dropped on you – as shown in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – will do that to a person.

Since then, we've had allusions to her fate in Agatha All Along (yep, still dead) and, now, a touching tribute to Scarlet Witch courtesy of Vision in VisionQuest. But there's almost no chance you spotted it first time around.

As unveiled by an eagle-eyed user on Twitter, the moment in the VisionQuest premiere where Vision's code flashes on screen contains a reference to Wanda.

While it's hard to make everything out amid the jumbled letters and numbers, it appears to say WANDA.CREATE. A possible hint that Vision could create another Wanda much like how she created Vision and an entire family for herself in her grief-stricken moments following her synthezoid beau's death at Thanos's hands? Maybe.

What is clear, though, is just how much Vision still thinks of Wanda – right down to his very code. If trips to his Mindplace cinema for WandaVision clip shows didn't already make it obvious, this is clearly a man – or machine – still in mourning.

In fact, Vision's 'memories' of his time in Westview are bleeding all over the show. His alias in Edinburgh at one point is shown as 'Sherwood Ellis'. That's not just another name. It is, in fact, a combination of the street Wanda and Vision lived in (Sherwood Drive, New Jersey) and the last street bordering Wanda's hex in Westview (Ells Avenue). That's just one of several VisionQuest Easter eggs we've seen so far.

Credit to showrunner Terry Matalas and company – they really thought of everything to make sure Vision's grief persevered into VisionQuest in a meaningful, yet obscured way. Even the diehards probably missed those ones.

The first two episodes of VisionQuest are now streaming on Disney Plus. We have a VisionQuest release schedule for those looking to keep on top of the show's erratic rollout plans in the coming weeks.

For more, check out our look back at how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

The Clayface press tour has only just started, but star Tom Rhys Harries may have already let slip that Batman is in Gotham while the new DCU movie takes place.

When asked by ComicBook whether Matt or Caitlin are aware of Batman's presence in Gotham, Harries said, "We have footage, and I don't think it's… I don't know how much I can say about this. Yes, we had discussions about that at length."

Now, we don't know if Harries is saying that there is or was footage of Batman himself, or if there is footage of his character Matt Hagen and Naomi Ackie's Dr. Caitlin Bates talking about Batman's presence in Gotham. But it sounds like the Caped Crusader is somehow involved in the story.

Fans are catching on to the slip, as one wrote on Twitter, "It definitely sounds like bro slipped up here. I'm not saying Batman is in the film but like genuinely he either misspoke or dropped a nuke." Another replied, "Bro pulled a Tom Holland," referring to the Spider-Man star who has dropped Marvel spoilers numerous times.

The upcoming Clayface movie acts as the villain's origin story, and the baddie was first introduced to DC Comics as a Batman villain, so the movie making a nod to the hero wouldn't be too surprising. However, with DC's Elseworlds Batman star Robert Pattinson not making the jump to DCU, James Gunn has yet to find his Bat before the first DCU Chapter One Batman project, The Brave and the Bold. Harries' slip-up makes us wonder if news on that is imminent.

Clayface wouldn't be the first DCU project to mention Bruce Wayne either, as Hal Jordan referenced Batman in HBO's Lanterns. Whether we see him or not, it sounds as though Batman's presence will be felt in Clayface. In an interview with SFX magazine, director James Watkins said, "You're in a city called Gotham. So I guess you feel the shadow of the Bat inherently. Because of the nature of where you are."

Clayface hits theaters on October 23. For more from the DCU, check out our guides to upcoming DC movies and shows and our breakdown of how to watch the DC movies in order.

The new Tom Cruise movie from director Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Digger, has received a glowing review from Hideo Kojima.

The black comedy film follows an oil magnate (Cruise) who must save the world from an environmental disaster he set in motion.

"I had been holding off on posting my thoughts until the interview was released," Kojima posted on Twitter, in reference to a conversation between himself and Iñárritu published on Gizmodo.

"Director Iñárritu's DIGGER is a film that all of us living in today's world should see," Kojima continued. "It is a work that remains with the audience, provoking reflection and sounding alarms. As you absorb this film and carry it with you, a 'tool (a digger)' for delving deeper into the future will surely begin to take shape within you. This is a film that will stay by your side for years to come."

Despite Digger's starry cast – John Goodman, Jesse Plemmons, Riz Ahmed, Emma D'Arcy, Sandra Hüller, and Michael Stuhlbarg all have roles – the film has performed poorly at the box office. Per the BBC, it's on track to lose around $245 million, making it one of the biggest flops in Hollywood history.

It also didn't fare well with critics, netting a Rotten Tomatoes score of just 53% – though its audience score is a much higher 75%.

Kojima also recently gave a positive review for Zach Cregger's Resident Evil movie, and he even included a shoutout to Digger in his verdict.

Digger is in theaters now. For more, check out our guide to all the most exciting upcoming movies left of the year.

The first reactions have landed for Clayface, and it seems the new DCU horror is winning over early viewers. Directed by James Watkins, the movie tells the origin story of the iconic Batman villain, played here by Tom Rhys Harries.

With a script from Mike Flanagan, it seems the movie does not hold back on the body horror. Critics have been calling it "disgusting", "brutal", and "unsettling". Rhys Harries has also landed a lot of praise, while others have pointed out that the movie doesn't require any prior DC knowledge.

Collider's Steven Weintraub wrote: "Clayface was fantastic. An awesome addition to the DCU that doesn't require any knowledge of DC to enjoy. It's a hard R and loaded with brutal scenes that really surprised me. Audience freaked out a few times during my screening to what was being depicted on screen. "

Presenter Brandon Davis was also a fan, calling out director James Watkins "unsettling Gotham." He added: "Tom Rhys Harries is a star, literally in the movie and for his performance. Dude kills it. Well done by all."

"Clayface is one of the best horrors of the year," writes journalist Chalice Williams. "Was not expecting it to perfectly mesh horror and romance! Warner Bros & DC cooked with this & Mike Flanagan does not miss with his scripts."

"Dark, violent, with little levity to offset the nastiness, this is an exciting addition to Gunn’s DCU," writes film critic Peter Gray, who calls out how "brutal" the movie is.

Phase Hero host Jenna Anderson writes: "Clayface completely blew me away. It’s disgusting, inventive, and astonishingly funny and earnest. It slots into the DCU so effortlessly. You owe it to yourself to see it in a theater filled with other people’s reactions."

Check out some more reactions below.

Clayface hits theaters on October 23. For more on DCU Chapter One, check out our breakdown of all the upcoming DC movies and shows on the way.

Ultima creator Richard Garriott is no stranger to controversy. Although he's a foundational progenitor of early computer RPGs, his newer releases haven't had nearly the level of impact as his early work and his stances on stuff like NFTs and AI haven't all been particularly well-received.

In a recent appearance on the TechJesse podcast, Garriott wades into the shark-infested waters that is AI discourse in the games industry. The proliferation of AI data centers is one of the main factors driving up hardware prices, but the more existential threat is job displacement, a fear shared across many industries. Game studios big and small are increasingly using AI to streamline development, and in even more controversial cases generate actual assets and "vibe-code" entire projects, which of course means fewer human jobs. For people like Garriott trying to cut down on development costs, that's not such a bad thing.

"This is super controversial, so half your people listening here are going to hate me, [but] AI is really helping," says Garriott. "Now, I can be closer to the creation. Now, we need fewer people and less time to make it. And as much as, by the way, there are real issues with AI, like is it plagiarizing work from other places we think is real? And if we use it for voice, who those voices train on. And so, ethical use of AI is really an important issue, and I'm not trying to say I've solved that, but we're trying. We're trying to make sure we do use it ethically.

"However, if you're just talking about the mechanics of how fast can you make a game, our last game, Shroud of the Avatar. has persistently had at least a bug count of a thousand bugs all the time ... there are some bugs that were on there for three to five years that have never been addressed because they weren't seen as high priority ... Now, with AI, those bugs are fixed as soon as they're found, within an hour of them being found."

Garriott reports that due to these advancements in AI-powered bug detection and elimination, "Shroud of the Avatar, for example, now has zero bugs, every day. Zero."

Garriott's bullish stance on AI aside, his claim that Shroud of the Avatar suffers from zero bugs in its current state is notable considering the game's poor performance reputation. Although it's been out for eight years now, Shroud of the Avatar is still getting regular updates, which are likely the culprit when it comes to new bugs.

In terms of those new updates, Garriott says "humans do the art and machines can help do the labor that ensures that all the i's are dotted and all the t's are crossed and so it's stable, fast, and fun for the users get to play it."

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Total War: Shogun 2 - Complete Edition launched today, offering a modern remaster of one of the best Total War games ever made. So why is it drowning in overwhelmingly negative Steam reviews? Well, its art has suffered what appears to be questionable AI upscaling, it runs worse than the original, and the devs are charging $10 extra to jump in. As if adding insult to injury, the devs have even gone and delisted the original version altogether.

"Literally the greed they talk about in the Bible," as Steam reviewer Xukaku puts it. In lieu of a whip of cords, players are taking to Valve's review system in an effort to drive the remaster away. As I write this, the game sits at an overwhelmingly negative rating on Steam, with just 19% of the 677 reviews being positive.

Fans are collecting an extensive list of issues with the new version, including both long-standing bugs that were present in the original and all-new glitches. There are also wide reports of performance issues, suggesting that the game runs worse not just than the original, but even recent, modern Total War games.

And then there are the allegations of AI art. This example is probably the most egregious: in the original game, it's an image of a mustached warrior on horseback. In the remaster, his nose and mustache have somehow been transformed into what looks like a Stormtrooper helmet. Other comparisons are similarly unflattering to the upscaled art, and even all-new art pieces are afflicted by gen-AI tells like six-fingered hands.

It might be a lot easier to ignore these issues if you could just go play the original, non-remastered version, but apparently even that's off the table. The original Total War: Shogun 2 has been delisted from the Steam store.

Players who already owned the original can, of course, still download and play it, but now anyone who wants to dive in for the first time is going to be forced to jump into a seriously compromised remaster. Here's hoping that the devs fix the Complete Edition's issues and put the OG version back on the menu for players who want it.

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Not even Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone's partner Amber gets to play his new game Haunted Chocolatier yet. That's because the Stardew Valley creator doesn't feel like his sophomore effort is finished yet, and if you've ever eaten a Thanksgiving day turkey that needed more time in the oven, you'll vividly remember how terrible it is serving half-baked anything.

Talking to GQ, Barone says he's intent on making Haunted Chocolatier all by himself, with the exception of external marketing teams, just like he did with Stardew Valley. Barone has occasionally hired outside help to work on non-creative tasks over the years, but working largely in isolation means he's the only one actually playing these games while they're in development, and that's exactly how he wants it.

"No one's playing the game until I'm ready to show it," he says, adding a metaphor that makes me want to come to every Thanksgiving gathering with a digital meat thermometer. "If you have a turkey in the oven, you're not going to pull it out halfway and have the guests taste it, right? It needs to be done."

It does need to be done, yes. Butterball, the foremost authority on turkey as a food product, recommends cooking your turkeys to 170°F in the thigh and breast areas, and 165°F in turkey-based stuffings. I can't tell you what that looks like in Haunted Chocolatier, but I do know melted chocolate is the best chocolate.

In the same interview, Barone once again describes Haunted Chocolatier as "more of an action RPG" than Stardew Valley, this time adding that it's for players who like to "go into the mines" to grind and grow more powerful.

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Almost nowhere but in MMOs will you find speedruns measured in months, not minutes or hours. One Old School RuneScape diehard recently shattered one of the most time-consuming records around, racking up 6,572 hours played on a quest to collect every pet in the game as fast as possible.

Our champion is Coxie, an OSRS player who, three years after getting all of these pets the old-fashioned way, decided to do it again on a timer. The first chapter of the video series chronicling this was uploaded in April 2023.

OSRS pets are cute little companions that are generally dropped by bosses, tied to minigames, or awarded for completing skilling actions like chopping logs and catching fish. Exact pet drop rates can vary wildly, but even the most common pets are fairly rare among players. Most high-level players probably only have a few pets to their name at most, and the true chase rares among the pet collection can – demonstrably – demand months of RNG hell, not to mention substantial and wide-ranging game skill.

A lot of pets come from difficult bosses that are slow to kill, and with pet drop rates sitting in the 1/5,000 range a lot of the time, you'll have to kill them a lot. It can also be scary when pets appear to have generous drop rates. For example, the little obsidian wyrm Jal-Nib-Rek has a drop rate of just 1/100. Sounds easy, right? However, that is one out of every 100 Inferno completions, and the Inferno is the kind of grueling PvE challenge that only a tiny percentage of OSRS players can beat at all, let alone many times.

Coxie managed to get all 71 pets in just over 273 days of playtime, or 6,572 real hours. His final pet was, amusingly, a little cow named Beef, which is among the easiest pets to acquire at a drop rate of 1/1,000 in trivial content.

In an October 10 Twitter post marking the finish line, Coxie explains that he made this pet hunting account "3 years, 9 months, 23 days ago." Some quick math shows that, since creating this account, Coxie has spent approximately 30% of his waking hours (generously assuming eight hours of sleep) playing OSRS, and about 20% of all hours.

OSRS developer Jagex verified Coxie's achievement and his playtime. The developer also shared just how far ahead Coxie is compared to his competition. As of now, the second-place all-pet speedrun sits at a staggering 572 days, or 13,728 hours. I've learned not to doubt the tenacity of RuneScape players, but I have to imagine this record will hold for a good while.

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Every day seems to bring another announcement of a classic console game getting a fresh recomp allowing it to be played on modern PCs. Many – though not all, and certainly not the best – of those recomps are powered by AI coding, and the wave of community interest in these projects is helping to inspire a new initiative at Microsoft called Xbox Labs.

What is Xbox Labs? According to Xbox boss Asha Sharma, it's "a small group of game makers, engineers and scientists whose job is to turn emerging ideas into things our players and developers can experience." If that sounds vague, well, it's because it is – but according to a memo sent to employees and published on the Xbox Wire, it's inspired by a wave of community development efforts including recomps.

"In recent weeks, we've seen games rapidly decompiled and rebuilt to run on hardware they were never originally designed to support," Sharma writes. "Windows PC builds have been translated to run on Apple Silicon or ported to run inside a browser through WebAssembly and WebGPU, the latter now approaching 90% global browser support. Perhaps more surprisingly, we’ve seen many of the biggest games in the world have been remixed into the source code of another."

Sharma adds that it's "easy to see the possibilities in making great games easier to access, giving old games new life and allowing more players to become creators and co-creators. These are unmistakably good outcomes for players, even when (and sometimes because) they challenge our existing business models."

What is Xbox Labs doing that previous backwards compatibility efforts, including the one that brought a selection of OG Xbox games to PC just a few months ago, could not accomplish? There's no real stated end goal in the announcement, but recomps tend to offer more robust options for visual and gameplay improvements than straight-up emulation does.

And, of course, many recent recomps have been vibe-coded, and AI coding seems to be a siren song for Microsoft. "I think XBOX has an important role to play here. Coding became the first major workload for agents because they can write, run, and test software. Games share many of those same properties," Sharma writes.

Some of the devs behind the most notable classic game recompilations out there have taken staunchly anti-AI stances, but there's no denying that the size of the current recomp wave is thanks in large part to AI. There's a Bloodborne PC port with full multiplayer, a Mario Kart Wii PC port, and a new PC port of the OG Crash Team Racing, all of which have – as many fans would argue – been spoiled by AI.

"LABS gives us a way to explore new technology without abandoning the work already underway," Sharma concludes. What results will that new technology provide? Your guess is as good as mine.

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